Sunday, October 18, 2009

Jazz's fleece

This is my Jazz's lamb fleece. He is a gray katmoget with the blue hue to most of his fleece. I had no idea it would spin up like this! How AWESOME!

I finally found someone to make me something out of his fleece. Since I haven't learned how to spin (yet) I really wanted something to remember a few of my special sheep by. A gal named Lisa Christensen came up one weekend to look at whethers for a fiber flock. After much discussion she opted to take raw fleeces instead. I then told her how I wanted something made out of my special sheep and she said she'd willingly and gladly do it! I was so stunned! And very appreciative!

I am going to have a scarf and hat made out of this lamb fleece of his. This is what she said about it: "Garrett, Here's a pict of the spun yarn. It's a 3-ply worsted weight and super soft. The color is awesome and the fiber really shines in the light."

After seeing this yarn and how that actually came off of MY sheep, I have this huge desire to learn how to do that too! Not that I really have the time of the patience, but after seeing that, it makes me want to learn how....even if its not super pretty when I do it!

I have another fleece I would like made into something. Its a shaela/pewter color and want something made out of it. What else for a GUY could it be made into? A sweater? more hat and scarfs? I guess I don't realize what can be made with wool. I think its too fine for socks.

7 comments:

How wonderful to see handspun YARN on your blog! I didn't spin when I first got into Shetlands, either. They are seducing you, too, I see. :-)

How about a vest, either pull-over or button-down? And I don't think there's really such a thing as "too fine" for socks. After all, feet appreciate softness, too! But it sounds like such a pretty color that I don't think I'd hide it under trousers.

Oh, Garrett, do learn to spin! You will love it! The reason I got Shetlands was to spin their fine, soft fleece in a variety of natural colors. Katmoget is one of my fav's as you can separate a fleece into various colors to spin skeins that will blend with one another - so cool! Or mix the fleece altogether. They are usually the nicest to spin.

There are a lot of things you can spin and knit with your wool - hats, scarves, vests, sweaters, socks, mitts (fingerless gloves), mittens, gloves, afgans. Then there is weaving . . . and felting . . . There is NOTHING like washing, carding, and spinning a fleece from one of your own sheep that you bred and raised, then making something with it and wearing it. NOTHING!

Michelle - I've made some socks with some handspun soft wool (NC - not Shetland). They got holes in the heels way too quickly so I've always made at least the heel with strong britch or a britch/mohair blend for my next ones. Just finished a double heel pair that I have to wear to see if I want to write up the pattern as I've never seen anything like it before (had to make it up myself as I looked everywhere and couldn't find anything like it).

I wasn't interested in spinning before I got the sheep, but I figured if I wanted to sell wool to spinner's, I'd better learn more about it. I certainly wasn't prepared for how relaxing and addicting spinning is! Garrett, I hope you find the time to give it a try. Theresa, it's good the hear that you've got a double heel figured out. :-)

Send the finished yarn down my way and Mom can knit something in a jiffy! She does it to keep her fingers nimble as the rheumtoid arthritis is getting worse. Scarf, hat, mittens or gloves? It might be neat to do a throw with a strip for each sheep's wool? She also learned to felt this last winter :)

NOW do you see why we spinners are so eager to get our hands on that Shetland fleece? Because it can be transformed into something as lovely and useful as the skein you have pictured.

I second the recommendation about Brooklyn Tweed - in fact there is a classic scarf on there, very easy - knit one, purl one - in stripes that you would like to wear, if not make yourself. He did it in colorful stripes, but I can just see it in two or more natural colors of your favorite sheep!!

Who we are

Ramsay Farms is situated in the northeastern part of Ottertail County, near Perham, Minnesota. This family farm of 320 acres has been in the Ramsay family for five generations, dating back to 1892. Today our farm prides itself on our Simmental cattle, Shetland Sheep and BlueFaced Leicester sheep. We strive to breed animals that closest match the breed standards given to them, and mindful of production, health and longevity in our animals as well.

In spring of 2016, there was a purchase of 32 acres in Green County, Wisconsin to accommodate Garrett for his work in that region. The animals have for the most part been moved to that location. Both locations will work in tandem to continue educating and promoting these animals and this way of life.

Tradtional 1927 Standard Shetland wool

Shetland Sheep Links

2015 pair

WhitePine Foley and daughter Frygg

From the Shetland Sheep Society

"Shetland sheep have for generations been noted for their very soft and well crimped fleece. The wool is the finest of all native breeds and shows an amazing variety of colours and patterns. There are 11 main whole colours and 30 recognised markings.

By selecting from coloured fleeces a range of naturally coloured yarn can be produced. This eliminates the need for dyeing and therefore retains the soft feel of the natural fibre and is favoured by those who prefer a totally natural approach.

Shetland wool fibres are of a simple construction witha central cortex covered by a thin scaly cuticle, and have an average diameter of about 23 microns. However there is a range from 10-20 microns for neck and shoulder wool to 25to 35 microns for britch wool. the average staple length is 3.5 inches. The amount of crimp varies, and is most important in providing the 'bounce' required for knitwear. There is a positive correlation between fineness and crimp, with wool of the finest quality being crimped at between 8 and 12 to the inch. Wool from shetland sheep is used to produce gossamer lace, the famous 'Fair Isle' knitwear, and fine tweeds. Pure bred Shetland sheep tend to shed their fleece in sprin. The growth of new fleece can cause a rise or weak point and where this is present the fleece can sometimes be plucked or 'rooed' by hand. The timing of this can be different in each sheep, however, it is worth taking the care to get it right as rooed fleece can be amongst the softest because the fibres have no harsh cut ends as occurs with a sheared fleece.

Shetland fleece can be handspun straight from the fleece or made into rolags and then woollen spun. It can also be sorsted spun by hand, used on a peg loom or handwoven. It also felts well using either dry or wet methods. When processed commercially the wool can be made into the finest lightweight worsted cloth or heavier weight, harder wearing fabrics and tweeds."

BlueFace Leicester

a beautiful typey ewe

Expecting the world to treat you fairly because you are good is like expecting the bull not to charge because you are a vegetarian. - Dennis Wholey